Thompson: Hotline Helps Expose Bullying In Oklahoma City

It was no surprise that the Daily Oklahoman had to close its comments section following this article: Boy, 10, Reports Stabbing on Oklahoma City Public School Bus.   That common practice illustrates part of the difficulty in honestly discussing school violence. But the more that districts across the country try to hide the extent of crime and bullying in schools, the more that patrons believe the worse. This perpetuates the practice of "juking the stats." 

The author later reports on a first step towards addressing bullying in the OKCPS. The district  opened a bullying hot line.  In less than a month, 155 reports were made.  Since the system is new, only a third of the reports have come from the community. One report was from a social worker.  Coppernall wrote that "a girl who lives in a group home was being kicked during dance class.  Now, instead of the girl suffering in silence, an entire team of school officials knows about the problem." Who knows what will be learned about the extent of unreported violence once the community is aware of the hotline?  Already, the district has been informed of two cases of weapons in schools and 25 other acts of violence.-JT(@drjohnthompson)Image via.